Assistant Chief of Freight and Logistics
Tennessee Department of Transportation
Dan Pallme is the Assistant Chief of Freight and Logistics at the Tennessee Department of Transportation. In his role, he provides leadership on issues of rail, water and highway freight. The division serves as a liaison between TDOT and freight stakeholders in an effort to find opportunities to improve access for existing freight and appropriately prepare for the projected increases in freight as it moves in and out of the state. The primary focus areas for the division include water, short-line railroads, Section 130 rail program, rail inspection, highway freight and technology, freight advisory committees, freight planning and the freight and state rail plan updates.
He spent his entire career focused in the transportation sector. He is truly multi-modal with his 30 plus year career spanning several modes. He has worked for Federal Express (air), Yellow Freight System (LTL), Union Pacific Railroad (rail), and Comtrak Logistics (Intermodal / Truckload). After his private sector experience, he spent 5 years at the Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute at the University of Memphis on various research projects relating to freight issues throughout the United States.
He received his Bachelors from the University of Memphis in transportation and a Masters from the University of Denver in Intermodal Transportation Management.